Think cruising isn't for you? Well Virgin Voyages have well and truly ripped up the rule book and they aren't holding back, with their fresh new concept in cruising. Everything about traditional cruising has been redesigned and it was fresh, innovative and exciting. The decor was edgy, lively and upscale. The service, the activities, the environment, the food was in one word, WOW, every restaurant had its own personality to fit your every mood, from the lively Korean restaurant Gunbae complete with a side order of drinking games! Or the classy environment of the ships Italian Restaurant, Extra Virgin. I loved the idea of all the speciality restaurants being included with the cost of the cruise without being hit with the dreaded service charge. We dined at Pink Agave (Mexican), Extra Virgin (Italian) and Gunbae (Korean) they couldn't have been more different but all very enjoyable. The ship itself is absolutely gorgeous and very well thought out. There were many trendy places to lounge, sip Champagne, listen to live music or just relax by the pool.
Arriving at the ship was breath taking, everything onboard was immaculate, to the fine details in the elevators to the quirky pieces of art strategically placed around the ship, all were very eye catching.
I stayed in a Sea Terrace cabin with balcony, it felt very roomy with fabulous space saving ideas. The tablet that controlled the Tv, lighting and curtains was very welcome but best of all.......the hammock.
The entertainment was edgy, fun and dare I say Risqué? One of the shows we were luckily enough to catch on the ship was Dual Reality, an acrobatic team that we leave you in Awe in their modern take on the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet no fancy outfits, no huge stage set up just pure raw talent.
The Casino is a must to visit, well for me anyway! Amazing atmosphere and many an hour lost here but thankfully not a lot of money!
While I say this cruise is completely different to others, I also say it in a good way. No kids, a young hip vibe and extremely Social Media Worthy. With an outstanding team onboard all of this has created an experience for me that I will remember and definitely want to repeat. The Wi-Fi and app onboard could be smoothed out, but this certainly didn't deflect from the enjoyment of the cruise.
The ship just works, it’s quirky, it’s typically Virgin and the crew onboard just makes it. The Customer Service was impeccable the entire time we were onboard, I never felt like I was bothering a staff member with a request. The entire crew onboard made it their business to assure that everyone had an unforgettable experience, from the bar staff who know exactly what we like to drink even just after one night, to the waiters and waitress who couldn't do enough for you with their recommendations and even down to Sailor Services with their ongoing requests from customers to help them with the App.
I won’t list all the amenities as I would literally be here all day, but suffice to say this boat has everything, even a tattoo parlour onboard! One of my favourites fun quirks onboard was 'Shake for Champagne' just shake your phone anywhere on the ship and low and behold someone turns up with a bottle of Moet, genius!! Free retro games room for the big kids in us all was a huge draw on the ship.
Prices onboard were very reasonable, duty free onboard I was told was extremely cheap but as everything was included, all I paid for was drinks, I did set up a $300 bar tab which Virgin boosted this to $400 and I struggled to spend it, which is totally unheard of! Cocktails averaging $15, speciality coffee coming in at $4.
While I say this cruise is completely different to others, I also say it in a good way. No kids, a young hip vibe and extremely Social Media Worthy. With an outstanding team onboard all of this has created an experience for me that I will remember and definitely want to repeat.
